Governor control



E. MARTIN GOVERNOR CONTROL April 16; 1946.'

Filed Dec. 17, 1942 Bmfwm ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 16, 1946 GOVERNOR CONTROL Erle Martin, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford. Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application December 17, 1942, sensi No. 469,314:

(ci. 26e-14) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to iiuid operated governors and particularly to a governor for controlling the pitch of an aeronautical propeller.

An object of this invention is to provide means for supplying fluid under pressure to a. propeller pitch control governor for a limitedtime from an auxiliary source, such as an accumulator, when the normal supply of fluid for eecting pitch control is interrupted;

Another feature is that an accumulator comprising a metal casing having a collapsible air filled bag within it is connected tothe normal source of supply so that, upon failure or interruption of the normal source of supply, a limited amount of operating fluid maybe available for the governor for a limited time or until thevnormal source is resumed.

In its preferred aspect, the `invention may include the following principal parts: First, a centrifugal type governorv for supplying fluid under pressure pasta valve controlled by the governor to an aeronautical propeller pitch controlling device; second. an accumulator connected to the normal source of fluid supplied to the governor;

` third, a valve between the governor fluid supply lil A further object of the invention is to provide l a safety valve, between the accumulator and governorfconstantly urged ltoward its closed 'position by a spring but normally heldin its open position by the pressure of the operating fluid so that escape of governing fluid is prevented in the event the accumulator is disconnected or fails.

Another advantageous feature is that the safety valve in its closed position permits fluid to leak slowly past the valve into the accumulator from the normal supply to initially charge the accumulator, and, as soon as the accumulator is partialiy charged to a pressure sumcient to open the valve against its spring, charging of the accumulator may continue at a rapid rate. l

It is also an object of the inventionl to retain the safety valve in its open position by accumulator pressure during normal operation of the governor so that upon failure .of pitch controlling `duid from its normal source, fluid will instantly be available to the governor valve and to the pitch controlling mechanism directly from the accumulator.

With the above and other objects in view the invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth in the following spccincation and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

I have shown the invention embodied in a standard form of pitch control governor, but it willbe understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as dening or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specication being relied upon for that purpose.

The drawing is a central longitudinal view in section of the mechanism. some of the parts being shown diasrammatically.

' and accumulator permitting fluid to leak past the valve in its `closed position to initially charge the accumulator, said valve being maintained open thereafter by the pressure of fluid within the accumulator; and fourth, spring means normally urging this valve toward its closed position in order to closethe valve in the event the accumulator becomes disconnected from the governor or becomes damaged and its pressure fails.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown diagrarnmatically a standard form of governor i for controlling a propeller pitch changing device It. The propeller II driven by shaft I2 has the pitch of its blades varied by the admission of uid under pressure to its pitch changing device I3 through conduit It. Rotation of shaft I2 rotates a vertical sleeve I5 through suitable driving connections and varies the position of the fly weights It in accordance with their speed of rotation. This varies the vertical position of valve stem I1, slidable within sleeve I5, with changes in speed of the propeller. Fluid under pressure from any suitablesource is supplied to conduit id and has its pressure raised by booster pump It. This fluid under high pressure enters valve chamber 20 through dump outlet 2i and is admitted to conduit it whenever land 8 is lifted sumcientli' to uncover port t.

As the labove described parts are or may be those usually round in a standard form of propeller pitch governor further description is not thought to be necessary. It will suilice to state that by adjustment oi spring 22, manually or otherwise, propeller Ily may be set for any desired R. P. M, and maintained at that Pspeed. When the propeller speed is below the desired value the ily weights permit land 8 to assume the position shown, in which lluid is bled from conduit I4 past land 3 and into the hollow valve stem Il through-port l, and thence through sleeve I5 to the engine sump. Tins causes a reduction in propeller pitch. When the propeller speed is too high the y weights will raise stem I1 until land 8 rises slightly above port 9 permitting pressure fluid to pass from the pump outlet into conduit I4 to increase the propeller pitch.-

During certain maneuvers, such as a prolonged inverted night, fluid may not be supplied to the conduit I8 continuously; During such temporary interruptions tonormal uld supply it is desirable that an auxiliary supply of fluid be available in sulllcient volume and pressure to continue proper functioning of the pitch changing device until the normal supply is again available. For that purpose an accumulator 25 is provided and adapted to be connected to valve chamber 20 as will be described.

The accumulator 25 includes a casing, preferably of metal, within which is an elastic and collapsible bag 28. The bag 28 is shown in its normal or deflated condition, but may be inflated with air to a predetermined pressure, for example, 300 pounds, through a connection 21 preierably fastened as shown to the accumulator casing near one end. The bag when inflated completely fills the casing.

When booster pump I9 is started fluid under pressure will pass through conduit 28, and leak through ports 31, past valve 38, and thence through swivel connection 3| to conduit 32. The valve 3|! has a loose fit in its closed position shown in the drawing in order topermit the fluid to leak past it. Valve 38 is biased by spring 38 to closed position, this position being determined by the engagement of the head 34 on the valve stem, with the shoulder 35. When the pressure in conduit 32 reaches approximately 300 pounds valve 30 will be forced to the left permitting fluid to ow freelyggto conduit 32 and into the accumulator 25 by compressing the bag 26.

The casing 29 for valve 38 may contain a drain conduit 33 leading as shown to the interior of sleeve- I'. A drain opening 36 from the casing 29 beyond the head 34 may be provided to allow iiuid passing the head 34 to be exhausted to the engine sump ywhich may in turn be vented to the atmosphere. f

In operation the accumulator 25 is maintained charged with governor controlling uid furnished by the booster pump I9 but upon interruption ci the supply of fluid by this pump the accumulator admits fluid at booster pump pressure to the outlet 2l and to the governor valve I1. As soon as fluid is again supplied to this outlet 2| from the normal source, that is by pump I9, the accumulator is again replenished to its maximum pressure. Should the accumulator become damaged or disconnected from any cause valve 30 immediately closes and (except for leakage past the valve 30) prevents loss of fluid from the system.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in other ways without departure from its spirit as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

A l. A governor comprising in combination, a source of fluid under pressure, a valve for controlling the flow of iiuid from said source to a device to be controlled, an accumulator for a quantity of fluid under pressure connected to said source and said valve to receive duid-from' said source and deliver fluid to said valve, a second valve located in the connection between said accumulator and said source and said control Yvalve, resilient means for closing said second valve when the pressure in said accumulator falls below a predetermined lower pressure, and means subject to the pressure in said connection and opposing said resilient means and holding said second valve open as long as the pressure in said `accumulator or said source remains above said predetermined lower pressure, whereby fluid may flow freely t0 and from said accumulator at pressures above said lower pressure, and fluid under pressure may be supplied to said control valve when the supply from said source is insufcient.

2. In combination, a governor, a source of fluid .under pressure, an accumulator for storing a c quantity of fluid under a predetermined pressure connected to said source and said governor, and a valve, spring biased to closed position, between said accumulator and said governor and said source and provided with Aa leakage opening when in closed position to permit a relatively small amount of fluid to pass from said source to said accumulator to initially charge said accumulator to a predetermined lower pressure, said valve ERLE MARTIN. 

